My Experience Writing Online for Associated Content

How I Became an Independent Freelance Writer

If you have an email account, the chances are good that you get a number of spam emails every week telling you that you can “be your own boss” and “earn money working at home.”

Those are tempting offers for those who are tired of getting up early every morning, driving to work, and following orders all day long.

Unfortunately, they are almost all scams that have people working for far less than minimum wage if they earn anything at all. Fortunately, there is a way to earn good money by working from home. I know, because I’m doing it.

My First Writing Opportunity

Associated Content was the first online source that I found that really delivered on the promise of turning my talents and efforts into significant amounts of cash in my pocket.

Writing is, in my opinion and my experience, the single best way for the average person to earn money online, and Associated Content is one of the best outlets for writing.

How Much Does Associated Content Pay?

Anyone can join Associated Content’s pool of contributors. There is no entrance exam or audition to start writing there. One’s earning potential at Associated Content, however, is based on both ability and effort.

Associated Content offers two several types of payment arrangements. First, writers can submit articles for up-front payments. These can range from a couple of dollars to as high as $10-20 for a single article.

In addition to these up-front payments, Associated Content contributors are also paid an on-going royalty payment based upon the number of readers who view their articles online.

At the rate of $1.50-$2.00 for every 1000 page views, the royalties can add up quickly, especially once the contributor has a large library of content published on Associated Content.

How Many Page Views can I Expect for an Article?

Some articles will get lots of page views and some will be disappointments in terms of page views. Associated Content does, however, have a vested interest in helping its contributors get more page views.

There is a wealth of advice and information available from the site itself as well as from some of the more successful contributors to help guide new contributors. Personally, I have articles that have garnered over 40,000 page views and others that have managed only about 100.

Both of those numbers are unusual, and my average is something like 2500 page views per article including those I published before learning the ropes.

Over time, I have learned how to write articles that do better in the search engine results, how to choose topics that are of interest to web readers, and, in short, how to earn more money by writing on the web, and my average has gone up considerably.

Targeted Calls for Content

The other way that Associated Content contributors earn money is through Calls for Content. These are requests from Associated Content for an article on a particular subject.

They will either be for general publication on Associated Content, or designated for one of Associated Contents partner sites. The partner calls do not earn page view royalties, but generally have higher up-front payments, often $15-25 each.

Contributors are chosen for partner calls based upon the quality of their existing content on Associated Content, the subject matter of their existing work, and previous professional or academic experience in the subject matter.

Writers can also apply to become a featured contributor for a particular topic with a certain number of guaranteed targeted calls for content each month.

Associated Content Opening Doors to Other Opportunities

Associated Content was the first writing website that I found that gave me confidence that I really could work from home doing something I love to do, and make it into a full time career.

For the last eighteen months or so, I have done just that. By leveraging the content I had published on Associated Content, I have been able to successfully market myself as a freelance writer for hire.

I have a number of private clients for whom I regularly provide online web content, and I continue to write for Associated Content on a regular basis. I don’t expect that I will ever need to “get a real job” or work for anyone else ever again. Associated Content has helped me to develop the skills and the confidence to pursue a career as a writer.

Not Easy, Not Common to Make Full-time Money Writing Online

Let me be clear, though. Writing online as a full-time job is not for everyone. First, of course, you need to have a good command of the language. Secondly, you need discipline and dedication.

The most successful contributors at Associated Content are those who work the hardest and the most consistently. There is no free lunch in the world of online writing.

If you choose to make this your career, you must treat it like any other job. You show up every day and you produce every day. There are relatively few who can do that day in and day out, and I can only point to handful of talented and hard-working writers who make a full time wage writing only for Associated Content.

Getting Started Writing Online

For others, online writing can be a great way to earn some extra spending money in their spare time or a way to express themselves creatively. Either way, Associated Content is one of the best places to get started. It has not only paid me for my efforts, but has opened other doors in the writing field for me.

I am able to set my own hours, work any place from which I can get internet access, and pick and choose those clients and assignments that I want, so long as I put in the hours and the effort every day.

For those interested in online writing as a career, I strongly suggest that you work your way into it slowly. Discover your own earning potential while keeping your day job. Then make an informed decision about whether you have the discipline and desire to make it work for you on a full time basis.